cartridge belt assembly tool



Sept. 2, 1952 w, R, KUNZ 2,608,900

CARTRIDGE BELT ASSEMBLY Toor. Filed My 12, 1948 Patented Sept. 2, 1952 CARTRIDGE BELT ASSEMBLY ToolJV William RKunz, Springfield, Mass., assignor to the United States Aof America as represented by the Secretary of VWar Application May 12, 1948, seralNo. 26,074 f (c1. ca -48) (Granted under theV act of March 3, 1883, as

Claims;

amended April 30, 1928; 3-70 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may-be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates Yto a tool for the assembly or` disassembly of disintegrating metallicvlink type of'cartridge belts. l

In ring machine guns it is sometmesdesirable to add to :a belt of cartridges some other type of ammunition or to remove a portion'of the loaded belt. In the past this has been performed by `hand with uncertainresults` for 4the reason that in .assembling one belt to another the car tridge linking the two beltswas rarely ever properly inserted in the cartridge link. Obviously if. a cartridge is not properly loaded in the belt,v such round will not feed throughl the firearm.

thereby resulting in a feed jam. v Y

Accordingly it is an object of thisinvention to provide a simple hand tool for assembling` Vor disassembling a belt ofv cartridges `formed of dise integratingmetallic links. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a:

cartridge belt assembly tool of simple construction for accurately seating a cartridge in aA belt comprised of disintegrating' metallic. links.

The specific nature ofthe invention as' well as other objectsand advantages thereof will clearly appear froma description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig- 1 is aside elevational View of thedevice of this invention shown in the open or delinking Position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top view of Fig. 1 showing the forward end of the device and the various lugs utilized to engage either the cartridge or the cartridge link; i A

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the cartridge actuator showing the depending lug thereon. l

Fig. 4 is a- View similar to Fig; 1` but showing the cartridge positioned for assembly to the cartridge link. K

'Ihere is shown in Fig. l in assembled relation a cartridge belt assembly tool embodying this invention. Such tool comprises essentially two tubular telescoping members I0 and II. Tube member II, which may be termed a cartridge seating member or actuator, is slidably mounted within tubular member I0 which may be termed a housing.

Housing I Il is provided on one end with a cylindrical portion 23 terminating in a finger gripping portion I2. Such portion is formed by longitudinally slitting cylindrical portion 23 for a sub-vv stantial distance and then bending each half ofV the tube produced by such slitting operation outa wardly at substantially right angles to the axisl of housing IB. Forwardly of Vcylindrical portion 23, housing I0 is cut away to a substantially semicylindrical shape. On the eXtreme forward end` of housing IU, however, there is provided a pair of oppositely disposed inwardly projecting. lugs I3 for a purpose to be later described. Such lugs areintegrally. formed with housing I0 and;

are preferably produced bycutting and bendinga portion of the side walls inwardly as shown. I Cartridge actuatorV II comprises a tubular portion I4 and a forward end portion I5 of substantially semi-cylindrical shape. Tubular portion I4- of actuatorI I telscopes within the cylindrical portion 23 of housing I0 while the forward pottion I54 of actuator II slides withinV the forward portion of housing I0. A handle I6 is secured, as by welding, to the tubular portion I4 `of actuator VII or can` be integrally formed therewith: On the forward Vend ofxtubular' portion I4 there is .provided an integral lug I'IV depending, from the top ottubular portion I4 as shown inFig.. 1. A `pair of integral Yopposed upstanding lugs I8 are provided on the forward end of actuator Il fora purpose to be later described.

Somewhat to the rear of lugs I8 there is provided a pair of oppositely disposed notches- I9 extending longitudinally of the portion I5 of actuator II. Lugs I3 of housing I0 enter notches. I9 and cooperate therewith tov limit the longi tudinalnmovement of actuator II with respect to `housing III by an amount equal to the lengthv of resting against lug I1. The inwardly bent lugsH I3 provided on housing IU bear against the'for-r ward edge of cartridge link 2I as shown in Fig. 4.". Then by grasping finger portion I2 of housing I0 and forcing handle I6 of actuator II forwardly, lug I I then pushes cartridge 20 forwardly into links 2I to the proper depth as governed by notches I9.

To break a cartridge belt of the type abovementioned, lugs I3 of housing III are placed within an extractor groove 22 of cartridge 20 as shown in Fig. 1 and the upstanding lugs I8 of actuator II are placed against the back of the cartridge link 2l as shown in such figure. Retracting hous- 3 ing l by finger gripping portion l2 withdraws cartridge 20 from the belt of the ammunition thereby separating the cartridge belt.

From the foregoing description it is apparent to those skilled in the art that there vis here provided-l aftoo1:for rapidly, conveniently and easily assemblinga cartridge belt of the disintegrating metallic link type to a corresponding belt or for breaking such belt into short lengths as may be desired. Such tool is of simple and rugged construction thereby insuring ease of operation and long life. Further, it is Pointed out that such tool while having the desired characteristics of rigidity and strength, is also light and compact thereby permitting its inclusion in 4 said handle portion to withdraw a cartridge from the belt.

3. A tool for assembly of disintegrating link cartridge belts comprising a housing element, a

wherebyl said cartridge seating member is operan armorers kit Without taking up much space or' adding appreciably to the weight thereof.

I claim: a

l. A cartridge belt assembly tool comprising a housing element, a cartridge seating element, eachof said elementsl having a semi-cylindrical portion and a tubular portion, said seating element being telescopically mounted in said housing forislidable movement therein, said semi-cylindrical portion of said seating element forming an opening to receive a partially linked cartridge therein, .a pair of oppositely disposed lugs on said housingiarranged to engage said cartridge seating member for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof, said lugs being also engageable with the -link in one position -of thecartridge, said cartridge seating member being movable to seat a cartridge in the link, and a pair of upstanding arms on thexend of said cartridge seating member adapted to engage .the link in another position oflthe cartridge .in said cartridge seating member,`said lugs beingthen engageable with the extractor groove of the cartridge, said cartridge seating member then being movable to withdraw acartridge from the belt. y

v2. A cartridge belt assembly tool comprising a substantially cylindrical unitary tubularvhousing having a pair oflflared arms on one end thereof,

a'iunitary cartridge 'Iseating member slidably mountedL inlsaid housing for telescopicconnectio'nftherewith, said cartridge seating member beingconstructed and 'arranged to receivea partially linked cartridge, said' cartridge seating member being provided with a handle portion juxtaposed to said flared arms, a pairof oppotogethersaid flared armsand said handle portion to seat a cartridge nthelink, and a-pair ofA upstanding arms on the end of saidcartridge seating member adapted to engage the link in another position of the cartridge Iin said cartridge seating'member, said lugs being then engageable with the, extractor groove of the cartridge, said cartridge 'seating memberbeing then movable forwardly by bringing together'saidflard arms and able to seat the cartridge in the link, said lugs being provided v-with an inwardly facing portion arranged to engage the extractor groove of the cartridge in another position of the cartridge in said housing, and means on said cartridge seating member engageable with the link when said inwardly facing portions engage the extractor groove of the cartridge whereby Asaid cartridge. seating member is operable to withdraw a,car.

tridge from the belt. f

4. The combination, defined yml @nini 3 plus" means for limiting the longitudinalmovement of said cartridge seating member for seatingpthe:

cartridge in the link to a desired depth;

5. A tool for assembly of disintegrating linked l cartridge belts comprisinga housing having a semi-,cylindrical front portion and -atubular rear; portion terminating in aypairv of flared arms op-f positely disposed, a cartridge seating member having a semi-cylindrical front portion and a tubular rear portion terminating in a T-shaped.

handle, said seating element being teles'copically mounted in said housing for slidable movement therein, said semi-cylindrical portion of said seating element forming anopening to'receive a partially linked cartridge therein, a pair oflugs `on sa-id housing arrangedto engage the link `inone position of the cartridgein said housing whereby.,

said cartridge, seating member isloperable by bringing together saidrarms and said handle to seat' the cartridge in 'the link,rsaidnlugs beingV provided with Van inwardly facing portion ar.- ranged to engagetheextractor groove ofthe .cartridge in another position of the .cartridge in said housing, and means on said cartridge seating y member engageable with the link when said in. wardly facing portions engage .the extractork groove of the cartridge whereby said cartridgeseating member is operable by bringing together said arms and said handle to Withdrawla car-V le of this patent:`

UNITED'STATES PATENTS Number Name V Date n 2,359,842 Haberstump Oct; .10, 1944 

